


In Tongues

by the_walking_circus



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Yakuza, I take your bilingual lance and raise you multilingual lance, M/M, Mafia AU, Rating May Change, Translator Lance, Yakuza Keith, Yakuza Shiro
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-02 00:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12716424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_walking_circus/pseuds/the_walking_circus
Summary: Lance can speak seven languages but doesn't seem to know how to keep his mouth shut.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Italicized dialogue is spoken in languages other than Japanese.

Keith was sure his hair smelled like fish. The cold winds buffering the docks did nothing to dispel the strong, coppery smell that statured the air. He wrinkled his nose.

Why was he even here?

"Why am I here?"

Shiro used the toe of his shoe to turn the head of the man lying on the ground, his body half wrapped in a dirty tarp. His face was pale and bloated and the tongue that lolled out of his gasping mouth was a swollen purple. It looked like a fish had taken more than a few bites out of it.

That certainly didn’t help with the smell.

The man across from them shrugged.

"You told me to track down that translator of yours. Here he is." He pointed at the waterlogged corpse with his lit cigarette.

Keith sighed, feeling the tension build behind his eyes.

"I'd assumed when you said you'd found him, he would still capable of performing his job."

The other man chuckled.

"Its not my fault he ended up like this." Tossing his cigarette, he ground it out with the heel of his boot. It sizzled out on the wet concrete ground.

"Thought a guy who did what he did would have an easier way talking himself out of situations. Be glad he got offed by some small fry and didn’t spill anything before his swim." 

Keith wanted to argue but Shiro interrupted him before he could.

"Thanks for the help Ken, I knew it was short notice."

Ken smiled and the snake tattooed on his face seemed to squirm in the darkness.

"Anything for you, boss."

-

The car ride back to the building was tense.

"What do we do for the meeting tomorrow?" Keith felt wired, on edge. Everything had to go smoothly tomorrow but it was now the eleventh hour and the problems seemed to be piling up. And now their only translator had decided to chum the waters at the bay.

"Neither of us are fluent enough in Canto and there's no one on hand who speaks anything other than Japanese."

His head spun trying to think of solutions. Could they postpone the meeting? No Yeung had already arrived that morning. Perhaps they could get by with what they knew. He knew Shiro at least had decent grasp of the language. But would it be worth going in to the meeting already hamstrung?

Shiro, who was silent until then, let out a sigh beside him. It wasn’t some deep exhalation of relief, but a tense sharp thing that cut the silence like a knife.

"Try and find someone, if not we'll have to meet Yeung tomorrow on our own."

Keith felt tense, his hand clenching and unclenching against his thigh. If he couldn’t find anyone…

"Yes boss."

Outside the bright neon lights of the city melted like watercolours in the rain.

- 

Lance tossed back this third shot of the night. It was only a Thursday but the bar was swarming with tourists and students on break and he didn’t have to go to work the next morning. Or the next one, or the next. Lance waved down the bartender before his negative thoughts could swirl back into the forefront of his mind.

He ordered a shot of rum and the bartender looked surprised at the fluid Japanese that came out of his mouth. The chattering group sitting next to him seemed to take notice as well.

"Wow you speak so well, you're not a tourist right?" They seemed delighted at the novelty of a Cuban boy speaking perfect Japanese.

"No but I'm no native either, I'm here for work." He was here for work. But he couldn’t keep his big mouth shut.  The attention was distracting though even if it wasn’t uncommon and his heart wasn’t into it. What could he say, Lance was a social animal after all. 

"But right now I'm just here to have fun." He threw in a thick Kyushu accent that time just for fun, and it worked on the now small crowd gathered around him, if the delighted laughs were anything to go by.

"Can you do any other accents?"

"How about this?" The Kansai dialect slipping past his smile like a trill of music.

_"Speak anything other than Japanese?"_  One of the tourists yelled from across the room.

_"I can say anything you me to"_ Lance replied back in French and threw in a wink when the other man looked properly chastised.

The bar surged at his words.

It was two more drinks later, neither of which he had to pay for, before he noticed the staring.

Usually it wasn’t odd in a place like this, especially now that he was over seas he stood out even more. But if anything the other man looked even more eye-catching than him. Firstly he was way too overdressed for the casual setting of the bar and his gaze was less come hither and more like a stare down, his eyes a shocking light grey. 

He was in the middle of entertaining a group of Chinese tourists, parroting back nursery rhymes in an absurd accent, when they were interrupted. He slipped into the seat next to Lance before ordering a drink and sliding it to him.

"Your Cantonese is very good." Okay now Lance had to reconsider whether the guy had been flirting. But what was with that look, did he just have a bad case of resting bitch face?

Lance downed the drink while casting figurative glances at this new seat mate.  Not that he was complaining, the guy was hot. His broad shoulders and trim waist accentuated by the sharp cut of his black suit, the hairstyle was unfortunate but everything else more than made up for it. Heck he was almost pulling it off.

"Well it's kinda my job, languages. I need to be good at them." Lance glanced around, hopping he wasn’t accidentally snubbing any of his new acquaintances but oddly the bar was much more subdued than before. In fact the once bustling back was empty, with only he and the stranger sitting down, the bartender polishing glasses on the other end of the bar top.

It was odd, but he wasn’t complaining, he'd rather focus his attention on the stranger right now anyways.

"Hmmm, I know it's quite common to have foreigners teach English and such, but I've never met one who was so fluent in so many." The guys gaze was intense, almost calculating. Lance felt both a little turned on and intimidated, he guessed the shots were finally starting to get to him.

Lance coughed, his throat feeling dry all of a sudden.

"Ugh yeah, you're right about the teaching English part though. It's just that languages are just kinda my thing. I had a knack for them and focused on that for my undergrad." Lance felt like he was blabbering but the alcohol had made him loose, and scrutiny made him nervous. He was always talker anyways.

"What languages do you know?"

"Oh, you know. English and Japanese obviously. Spanish, Portuguese, French, Korean, Mandarin-"

_"And Cantonese?"_ Lance was shocked at the words spoken in accented, but still passable, Cantonese. He didn’t know what he was expecting, but the guy was clearly of Asian descent so it wouldn’t have been improbable he knew some other languages. Heck it was probably weirder that he could reply back.

_"Yes, and Cantonese."_ Lance felt his ego inflate just a little at the fact that his pronunciation was more spot on, but then felt bad. But if anything his conversation partner didn’t look annoyed at all, in fact he looked oddly excited.

"Impressive, you certainly are an overqualified English teacher." The smile sent his way was too wide, gaze almost predatory.

Lance laughed awkwardly.

"Well former English teacher. I just got fired." Shit, he really shouldn’t have had the last drink.

"Oh really?" The other man raised an eyebrow, and wow were they ever thick, Lance wondered if he got them done.

"Yeah that’s why I'm here drinking my sorrows away. No job, no work Visa. And I'm definitely not going to be able to afford the rent in Tokyo without my paychecks." He imagined Pidge's ribbing when he had to back his bags and go back to the States, he just hoped she would wait until they were out of the airport before she started roasting him.

"So you're looking for a job then? We'll that’s just perfect since we're in urgent need of someone with your skill set. 

Lance head spun slightly with the rapid change in conversation. One second he was thinking the guy was just about to say that they should get out of here and the next he was getting headhunted. I mean, he'd heard about stuff like this happening but he wasn’t walking out on the street and he doubted the guy wanted to recruit him to do modeling or porn or something.

"Um, I guess? When would the interview be?" He felt too drunk and too confused. He couldn’t begin to believe he looked anything close to business casual now but apparently his blue shirt and jeans was good enough for job hunting.

"Interview? No you would start tomorrow." What the heck?

He pulled out a business card out of some pocket inside his suit jacket and scribbled something on the back before handing it to Lance.

"Come to this address tomorrow at around 11am and say you've been sent by Mr. Kogane. They should let you up with no problem."

"Uh, thanks." Lance stared at the card in his hand, the design was severe and formal and it sure looked plenty professional.

"Good, I'll see you tomorrow."

And before he knew it the other man had stood, leaving his still full drink on the bar top, and swept out of the bar. Leaving Lance sitting dumbfounded in his wake. Cleary he was not one to mince words. 

He turned to ask the bartender to pay his tab but he assured Lance that "Mr. Kogane" had already taken care of it.

Lance spent the cab ride back to his apartment in a daze, confused all he could think of was that he was going to have a killer hangover at his interview tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A guilty pleasure that I'll try to update as regularly as I can while going to school. This was super fun to write and no beta so all mistakes are my own!


	2. Chapter 2

Lance woke up the next morning with a headache and a kink in his neck from sleeping weirdly in his cramped bed. He glanced at the business card sitting innocently on his bedside table and groaned. He got up and examined it again just to make sure it was real. He flipped it over and sure enough written on the back in a sharp scrawl was  _11 am interview_.

Last night almost didn’t seem real without the haze of alcohol clouding his mind, and he still couldn’t believe drunk Lance had such better job prospects than sober Lance. Sadly though what alcohol still didn’t improve was his game, thinking of sharp grey eyes and a turned back.

He swallowed an aspirin dry to deal with his headache and got to preparing his breakfast, a healthy balanced meal of sliced bread and coffee.

He dialed up Hunk's number while he waited for it to drip. His call was picked up after only two rings, it would've been around 9pm right now in the US and Hunk would be off work already.

"Hey Lance, how's it going over there?" Lance had to smile, Hunk's happy tone always cheered him up and even oceans apart it helped lighten his mood and lessen his nervousness for the impending interview. 

"Great, I have an interview today." He had to check if he had any clean pants that weren't jeans in his closet.

"Wait what? I thought you already had a job?" Lance shrugged, grabbing his coffee and sitting at the tiny table he ate his meals at. 

"Yeah but I got fired."

"You got fired!" Lance winced, pulling the phone slightly away from his ear.

"Lance, this is serious. How will you be able to stay without a job?"

"Dude, chill I already told you I have an interview lined up."

"How are you so sure they'll take you?" Hunk said, sounding skeptical.

"They seemed pretty eager to find a guy, they were the ones to approach me first."

The line was silent for a second before Lance heard the gremlin like shriek of Pidge in the background.

"Oh my god! He got scouted!" Her laughter echoing loudly, Hunk must've put him on speaker. 

"Wait, what does that mean?" Hunk sounded confused and slightly concerned.

"That means he's going to show up for his interview and they're going to be a mattress set up and a film crew ready. It's going to be like those documentary specials we saw! Were they trick people into filming pornos."

"Lance," Hunk's voice shifting instantly to serious mood, while Pidge continued to cackle in the background, "are you sure this interview is safe?"

"What? Don’t listen to Pidge! It's not like that at all." Lance could feel the flush creeping up his neck.

"I looked up the address and it’s a office building downtown. And the company, Shirogane Inc. is legit too." He'd even whistled in appreciation when he saw the sleek lines of the building, cut from steel and glass, on street view. It was hardly the sleazy den that Pidge was making it out to be.

"Are you sure? When's your interview, call me after just to be safe." Lance sighed, but he was happy his friends were there to support him, even if they had very different approaches. If he hadn't been able to land this interview he'd be sure Hunk would help him out and Pidge would probably try to hack the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and somehow extend his Visa.

"Yeah no problem, I'll be sure to check in after."

"Okay, be safe and good luck with your interview."

"Good luck on not getting murdered!" Lance heard Pidge yell in the background.

Lance just rolled his eyes and ended the call.

-

How that he was outside of the building that held Shirogane Inc. Lance felt his nerves flare up. It looked even more imposing in person, a glass and steel behemoth crouched on the intersection of two busy streets. He had to crane his head up to take it all in, his neck cramping and his eyes stinging from the reflected glare of the sun. The thing had to be over thirty stories tall.

The lobby was no less intimidating, and was oddly empty, which made him feel even more awkward taking the long walk to the front desk.

"Um, I'm here for the interview?" When the receptionist returned a blank look he continued, "I was sent here by Mr. Kogane…?"

That seemed to be the right thing to say as she typed something quickly into her computer before responding, "Ah yes, the 11am appointment." Before then leading him to security, where he was patted down, and beyond to a bank of elevators.

"This one should take you right up."

He was going to ask her which floor to press before he realized there was only one button, labeled Executive Suite. Well  _shit_. At this point Lance was starting to sweat. He wondered if he should have brought a resume or something. What if they wanted references? He certainly wasn’t going to be able to get any sort of glowing review out of his last employer.

But before he could over think anymore, or sweat through his shirt, the elevator slowed to a smooth stop, the doors opening soundlessly to an empty hallway. Lance nervously walked down the windowless hall before coming to a set of glass doors, at which there was another desk, with another sharply dressed receptionist. She gave him a polite smile before indicating that he could enter.

With a deep breath Lance gathered himself and pushed in.

The first thing he noticed was the incredible view showcased through the floor to ceiling windows that made up the far wall of the room. The second thing was that the man behind the imposing desk was not Mr. Kogane.

He stood and greeted Lance and  _holy hell_  was he ever  _hot_. Lance wondered if a requirement for working here was that you had to be a smartly dressed bodybuilder. The most noticeable thing, other than his incredible shoulder to waist ratio, was the streak of white in his slicked back black hair and the scar that marred his smiling features.

"Welcome, you must be the translator?"

"Y-yeah, I was told to come by Mr. Kogane."

The other man smiled wider, if that was even possible. For such a big guy sitting at such a big desk he seemed pretty friendly and approachable.

"Ah, yes Keith told me about you. Come sit."

Lance scurried and sat in one of the artfully arranged leather seats and he sat in the one across from him.

"My name is Takashi Shirogane, the CEO of this company. And you are?"

"Lance, Lance McClain." Shaking the offered hand, Lance noticed some pale scars across the other's knuckles. Did he box or something?

"Nice to meet you Lance, now I've heard that you have quite a talent for languages?"

"Ah yeah, I'm fluent in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Cantonese and Japanese. I'm also pretty adept at Korean,  German and Russian." Mr. Shirogane nodded as he listed off the languages.

"You say you're fluent in Cantonese?"

" _Yes_."

Mr. Shirogane raised an eyebrow.

_"Impressive, it's an uncommon language. Not many people outside the region know it."_ Lance was surprised, Mr. Shirogane's accent was pretty good, even better than Keith's.

_"I was learning Mandarin at the time and it felt incomplete to not learn it as well."_

_"And what motivated  you to pick up the others?"_

_"English, Spanish and Portuguese comes from my family. French naturally followed that. The others I learned in school."_

_"Still that’s an impressive feat, not many can learn so many not even during their lifetime."_

Lance shrugged at that, he was so used to it that he sometimes forgot that it was odd for people to switch through languages like they were channel surfing.

_"Well I've always had a natural knack for languages. The process of learning them is fun for me, I enjoy it a lot."_

Shirogane smiled.

"Well you certainly have a talent, and I'd say you are more than capable for this job." Lance almost let out a sigh of relief. For all of his smiles and friendly attitude the man's gaze was sharp and his scrutiny intense, Lance felt like he was a specimen under the microscope being examined. 

"Thank you, and ah, Mr. Kogane mentioned you expected me to start today?"

"Yes, yes. There is going to be a meeting tonight and our previous translator quit unexpectedly." Mr. Shirogane glanced at Lance. "Is that going to be alright for you?"

"Yes, no problem." Lance wracked his brain for more questions to ask.

"Um, what attire would be appropriate for the meeting?"

Shirogane smiled easily, "what you're wearing is fine for today. I'll have my assistant send you the details later, but you should expect be ready at around 7pm."

"Okay thank you," Lance paused, hesitating he asked "and the pay?"

At the blank look on Mr. Shirogane's face Lance froze, was it too forward? He was getting ready to backtrack when Shirogane chuckled.

"Keith didn’t mention it to you? And you showed up anyways?" Now Lance was wondering if he'd just gotten the guy from the bar in trouble, but if anything Mr. Shirogane seemed more bemused than upset.

He shook his head and walked back over to his desk, grabbing a check book, he wrote something with a flourish. Tearing it off he handed it to Lance.

"This would be the starting monthly salary." Lanced looked down and saw a number that was almost four times the salary for his old teaching position.  _Holy fuck_.

"Wow. Ah. This, this is a lot." Lance gulped. Jesus. He could afford to move into a better apartment now.

Shirogane smiled, but this smile was as cold as the others were warm.

"Well Lance, I'm a businessman. My business is my livelihood, and the livelihoods of all my employees. It's very much in my interests to protect my investments." The words were friendly but Lance felt his stomach swoop.

"This amount covers not only your translator fee but your silence."

"My silence?" Lance gulped.

"Yes, what we will be discussing tonight will be business. It'll be dry I assure you, but its business none the less and that requires discretion."

"Do you understand what that means Lance?" Pinned in place by the cool grey eyes of Mr. Shirogane, all Lance could do was nod his head.

In an instant the tension was gone and Mr. Shirogane sent another blinding smile in Lance's direction.

"Wonderful, I'll have Hana send you the details for tonight as well as your employee contract and forms."

Before Lance could say anything there was a knock on the door and Hana came in to escort Lance out.

"Thank you Mr. Shirogane." Lance managed to say before he was lead out. Shirogane just gave him one last smile before sitting back down at his desk. Silhouetted darkly against the bright city behind him he looked like a shadow lurking over the skyline.

Lance spent the whole ride back down on the elevator staring at the check in his hand, which was larger then any other he had ever held in his life, wondering just what he had gotten himself into.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda a short chapter (school's been killer) but I'll probably upload again in the next few days so bear with me!

The first thing he did was deposit the check in the closest bank he could find. It went through and he was left staring at the new, much higher, balance on his account. Then he went to a restaurant to call his friends.

He found a relatively empty ramen place and ordered a bowl with extra pork because, god knows, he deserved it after that interview.

Pidge picked up after one ring.

"Hey Lance, glad to know you weren't iced." He smiled at her flippant remark, knowing underneath her spines there was real heart.

"Yeah and there was no mattress or camera in sight either."

He could almost hear Pidge's smirk over the phone.

"Silly me, should've know nobody in their right mind would jack it to a video of you."

"Hey!" Lance flinched, covering his mouth and shooting apologetic looks to the other patrons of the restaurant who had turned at the noise.

"Dude that's not cool, and you and I both know that money alone can't buy quality like me." He could feel her roll her eyes at his faux posturing.

"Anyways, how did it go?"

Lance grinned.

"Hook line and sinker! I start tonight."

"Nice, congrats! Good to know we won't have to pick your sorry ass up from the airport after we just dropped you off like five minutes ago."

"Hey laugh it up, I'll be living large in Tokyo. With the new paycheck I'll even be able to move into a bigger place; and maybe even send back some of those obnoxiously sweet candies you like."

Lance grinned at the whoop Pidge let out, he personally didn’t know how she ate all that junk without dying of a sugar overdose. Her tiny body must have a killer metabolism to not be put in a coma from everything she eats.

"So now all I have to do is get some forms filled out and prep for tonight."

"Nice, nice, I'll tell Hunk that’s you're alive and whole with all your organs intact. And good luck for your first day."

Lance grinned , "thanks Pidgeon, love you!" And laughed at the disgusted sounds she made before she hung up on him.

Lance quickly finished his noodles before they could bloat in the broth and headed out with a bounce in his step. Despite the whirlwind of the last 24 hours he was confident he was in a much better place then he had started. When he arrived in Japan he had dreams of conversing with locals and teaching others, sharing his love of languages. Instead he found ten hour workdays and a boss that hated his guts.

He didn’t know if he had kicked Iverson's dog in his past life or something but the guy clearly had it out for Lance. He got assigned the worst classes, filled with the rowdiest most misbehaved students and hit with the most marking assignments. Sometimes his stack of tests to grade was twice as thick as his coworkers.

All he could do was finish his work, go home and crash; before getting up to do it all over again.

It was hardly the rich, cultural experience he had expected, and was told it would be, when he signed up. But it had almost been worth the trip just to see Iverson's face when he quit. Well he was actually fired after Iverson found out the example sentences he was using for his assignments included unflattering descriptions of him. Still worth the 13 hour flight and two weeks of torture.

When he got home he took a shower and put on a mud mask before booting up his laptop. And there, first in his inbox was the email from Shirogane Inc. With some trepidation he clicked and scanned through the body of the email. Pretty standard stuff it seemed, it thanked him for attending the interview and starting on such short notice and congratulated him on his new position in the company. It mentioned that the attached forms didn’t need to be completed before his first assignment, excluding the NDA, but should be sent in as soon as possible.

Lance open the NDA and tried to read through it but quickly got lost in the jargon and legal terms. He goggled some things and there wasn't any obvious red flags, apparently NDA for translation services were pretty standard. He used his mouse and sloppily signed his name at the bottom and sent it in.

There was already a reply in his inbox when he came back from washing his face.

He clicked on it, reading over information he'd need for tonight. He was to arrive on time at the Shirogane Inc. building where he would be driven to the location of the meeting. He was expected to translate for Mr. Shirogane and his associates at the meeting with Mrs. Yeung La-Ling, a business woman from Hong Kong. He would only be in charge of soothing over conversation, however any written documents would be read over by lawyers separately.

Lance let out a slight sigh of relief. He was worried he'd be expected to go over technical documents but it seemed he was just there to facilitate talk as the agreement was being finalized. It didn’t seem like he needed to prep for anything and he was already confident with the language skills.

He glanced over a few other details. He would be need to be dressed neatly and speak respectfully, he wasn’t allowed to bring personal electronics to the meeting, and if he needed to make a call urgently he would be provided a phone at the location.

The rest was just basic information that he quickly memorized. He was about to click off the email and start filling out some of the other forms they sent when he noticed the closing of the email.

 

From the desk of Takashi Shirogane,

CEO of Shirogane Inc.

Head of Shirogane-gumi

 

Lance frowned, he usually didn’t see 'gumi' used that way, even though it was grammatically correct. It was probably another way of referring to a company like Shirogane and Inc. that he just wasn’t used to seeing. It wasn’t like Lance got a lot of formal business letters in Japanese.

He was less than halfway done filling out the stack of forms, seriously there was even more than what was needed for his former teaching job, when he looked at the clock and nearly fainted.

He had to leave now or he was going to be late.

Lance quickly dressed in the clothes he'd already laid out, grabbing his keys he paused before putting his phone back down and booking it. The train was overcrowded as usual but it was a novelty going to work while everyone else was coming back.

When he got to the Shirogane Inc. building he was promptly escorted to the private underground parking lot where a car was already waiting.

Lance was out of breath and more than a little sweaty from running through the humid summer air of Tokyo. However he slowed when he took in the man standing beside the driver, dressed in a perfectly cut black suit. Even with his back turned that hair was unmistakable.

The man heard him approach and turned, raising a thick dark brow he glanced over Lance's slightly disheveled appearance.

"You're late." 

The man from the bar.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler (but not really) "gumi" means something akin to group in English, but when it's used as a suffix it usually indicates you're talking about a Yakuza organization.


	4. Chapter 4

Now logically Lance knew that he'd eventually bump into Keith Kogane again, they _were_ working at the same company now after all, but he thought he would have some time to get over the awkwardness of their one-sided flirtation at the bar. If anything Lance hoped that the other man hadn't even picked up on it. Did it count as sexual harassment if you hit on your boss before they became your boss?

If anything the guy had only been interested in Lance because of his language abilities. It seemed that was truly the case because in the light of day, without the alcohol, he could tell that Keith was truly uninterested. He also noticed that, without the beer goggles, Mr. Kogane was in fact a huge _dick_. Yeah, a lot could change in under 24 hours.

The car ride over was tense and it certainly didn’t help that after telling him he was late he followed up with:

"And what was your name again?"

Lance could feel his teeth start to grind. And here he'd be hoping that Iverson was the last douchebag boss he'd have to deal with.

"Lance McLain."

Keith barely acknowledged him before turning and getting into the car.

"Just make sure you're on time next time Mr. McCLain." He said before the driver shut the door and left Lance scrambling to get to the other side and be let in.

Lance spent the rather long car ride taking turns broodily looking out the tinted windows and getting lectured, or threatened he guessed if they were just going on the tone of voice used, about what was expected of him tonight.

For all the excitement and animation the guy showed last night he might as well as been a robot now with how serious and formal he was being. Lance wondered how much he had to have drunk to dream up a Keith that smiled, albeit sharply.

"You are expected to aide me and Mr. Shirgogane in our talks today with Mrs. Yeung La-Ling, who has flown a long way to make this meeting. Formal speech must be used, in both Japanese and Cantonese, and the utmost deference must be shown to both Mrs. Yeung La-Ling and Mr. Shirogane especially." Lance interjected with a short nod before Keith continued.

"The formal arrangements have already been made beforehand and this meeting is just meant to finalized the agreements. I trust you read the papers sent to you beforehand. Yes? Good, the meeting shouldn't take long but you'll be expected to attend dinner as well. You're allowed to eat but your first priority is to help conversation flow between present parties. If things go smoothly we should be done by around 2 am."

Lance tried not to have a reaction but his eyes widened at the time. Almost six hours for a dinner and meeting? Maybe that was normal for business people but for Lance that was almost a full workday. He was going to make a comment, but a sharp look from Keith silenced him.

The rest of the ride was passed in silence.

-

When the arrived at their location Lance was once again floored by the elegant extravagance of his surroundings. Keith may have looked out of place in the bar last night but it was Lance this time, even dressed in his best shirt and slacks, that stuck out like a sore thumb. The building that they pulled up to was a restaurant, three stories tall with a brightly lit and imposing façade. There was already a line up of cars parked out front in the driveway, which curved around a large fountain. The door to one of the cars opened and Mr. Shirogane ducked out, dressed impeccably as always in a three piece suit.

Soon it was their turn as the driver slowed to a stop and the door was opened for them. Keith slipped out first, and after taking a steadying breath, Lance followed.

They made their way up the steps and were greeted by the rest of the associates from Shirogane Inc., if the familiar greetings that Keith received were of any indication. Keith made his way to the front of the pack, stringing Lance along the way, before taking his position on Mr. Shirogane's right side. They exchanged a few quiet words and Shirogane shot Lance a reassuring smile before turning to the open front doors, striding through confidently.

They were patted down at the entrance and shockingly some members of their groups had to relinquished the weapons they had been carrying with them. Lance stared wide eyed as Keith handed over a pistol and reluctantly unstrapped a knife from his forearm. Now Lance was extra grateful he hadn't let any snide remarks slip out on the car ride over. What was Keith, some sort of bodyguard assassin?

Eventually they were cleared and let into the lobby of the restaurant, a sprawling space of glass, gold and marble. It was decorated in a style that was reminiscent of 1920s American art deco but with some distinctly Japanese elements mixed in. A boldly written piece of calligraphy hung over the front desk and the art work depicted branches dripping with cherry blossoms. They were then directed through an empty dining hall and lead to a private room in the back.

When they were ushered inside they were greeted with a stately tableau, the center of which was a woman dressed in a white qipao. The high points of the mandarin collar were edged in red and pressed into the delicate pale skin of her neck, matching the blood red paint on her lips. She looked like she could've been anywhere from her thirties to fifties. Every movement deliberate, she took delicate sips from the teacup in her hand, chatting with the younger woman sitting beside her. 

When Shirogane enter she stood and each person and their respective party took turns bowing. It took all of Lance's concentration to make sure he didn’t bow too late or rise too early. 

After they sat, with Keith on the right, Lance on the left and Shirogane in the middle; the rest of the group standing behind them. They were quite the contrasting pair, Mr. Shirogane in his severe black suit and Mrs. Yeung La-Ling in her elegant slip of silk. And yet it somehow felt like two lions pacing circles around each other. The tension was palpable but no one in the room seemed to acknowledge it.

The first one to act was Mrs. Yeung La-Ling, her smile splitting her blood red lips to reveal sharp, white teeth.

" _Welcome Shirogane-gumi and Mr. Shirogane."_ Lance absorbed her words before turning and quietly relaying them to Shirogane.

Mr. Shirogane turned and addressed Mrs. Yeung La-Ling directly after, with a smile just as warm and just as sharp. 

"Thank you Mrs. Yeung La-Ling, I hope your trip here was smooth?" The young woman sitting beside Mrs. Yeung La-Ling turned and relayed what was said. Mrs. Yeung La-Ling nodded and then conversation really started flowing.

" _Yes, and thank you for being so accommodating for this meeting. It was quite hard to find time to meet in person like this."_

_"_ It was no problem, to have the renowned Mrs. Yeung La-Ling come and visit us in person, it is truly an honour for the Shirogane-gumi and indeed Japan itself."

Back and forth the conversation went, Cantonese and Japanese, each remark like a perfect serve knocking the conversation back into the other's court where it was returned just as elegantly. The conversation flowed relatively quickly and combined with the formal, careful wording used, Lance could hardly process the actual content of the conversation. He could barely tell how long had passed before all the loose ends were tied up in regards to a trade agreement, or something of that ilk, and dinner was called. Both parties had scarcely let a breath slip free during the whole interaction. When Lance had spared a glance at Keith partway through the meeting he noted the other man sat perfectly still, his sharp eyes darting around the room the only movement in his tense form.

When everyone stood to go to dinner it was like a room full of statues finally took a breath. 

Lance was once again dragged along behind Keith who followed Mr.Shirogane and Mrs. Yeung La-Ling to a large and lavishly set dining room. Mr. Shirogane and Mrs. Yeung La-Ling sat on opposite sides of the table, their translators by their side and the rest of their associates around them. Dinner was served.

Luckily for Lance dinner was a more casual and quiet affair, he only had to translate the occasional remark from Mrs. Yeung La-Ling and was able to rest and enjoy the frankly delicious meal set in front of him. The appetizer was a single quail egg served on a bed of finely grated, fried taro shaped like a bird nest. One after another each lavish course was served, the entrée seemed to be some variation of peking duck, but instead of the traditional way it was plated like an hors d'oeuvre, and the dessert was a cage of pulled spun sugar holding a tiny chocolate pastry which melted on Lance's tongue.

Forget the paycheck, the meal was worth it on it's own!

Eventual the last morsel was savoured and the plates cleared. Mrs. Yeung La-Ling bid them a farewell and pressed a kiss to Mr. Shirogane's cheek, leaving a streak of red across his jaw. The group split and got back into their separate cars. With an exhausted sigh Lance slipped into the seat beside Keith, settling into the buttery leather seats.

They pulled away from the restaurant, the brightly lit building looking like an oasis of light in a sea of darkness. Lance felt himself dozing off, the long night before and the hectic day exhausting him and weighing his limbs down like lead. His eyes were just starting to flutter shut when he was roused by Keith speaking.

"What's your address? We'll drop you off since the trains have probably stopped running at this time." Lance hazily rattled off his street and building number to the driver before well and truly conking out.

He woke to a gentle hand shaking him awake. He blinked away his sleepiness and realized the car had stopped. He also realized that Keith face was _very_ close to his own. 

"We're here" Lance tried to stop the shiver that ran up his spine as the other man's breath ghosted against his lips.

He quickly shook his head, trying to clear the last of the sleepiness away and whatever bizarre reaction he had to the other's proximity. He didn’t like how the other man affected him when he was like this. Keith on the other hand seemed much more relax after the meeting.

Lance got out of the car and stood awkwardly on the curb, shivering slightly. No matter how hot the day was when the sun set there was still a decent chill in the air, and he hadn't bothered with a coat in his haste to leave earlier that night. Keith rolled down the window on his side.

"Uh, I guess I'll see you at the next meeting then?" Lance felt the prickling gaze of the other glance over him. He hoped he couldn’t see how red his ears were in the darkness.

"No, I'll be collecting you again in the next couple of days." His confusion must show clearly on his face because Keith didn’t hesitate to elaborate.

"Since this was an emergency you were allowed a pass, but from now on you must dress appropriately for all Shirogane-gumi meetings. I will be taking you to get some proper clothes made for the occasion." Casting a final, disdainful look at Lance the window was rolled back up and the dark limousine sped into the night.

Lance stood there with his mouth open until the car turned a corner and disappeared. Only then did his words come back to him.

"What a _fucking dick!_ "

-

At night the air of the city was still, calm like standing water. When they drove into the underground car park Shiro was already waiting. He was speaking with some of his officers but waved them off when he saw Keith's car approaching. Keith got out and bid his driver goodnight as Shiro dismissed the other members.

Keith slid into the driver side and Shiro into the passenger seat of the dark SUV and they pulled smoothly out of the garage, driving back into the night. Shiro was answering some messages on his phone, and when Keith cast a glance his way he noticed he had wiped the lipstick mark Yeung had left on his face away.

It was Shiro who broke the silence first, as per usual.

"The meeting went smoother than I expected."

Keith answered with a wry smirk.

"It only seemed that way since the lead up was so hectic."

Shiro let out a laugh, it was fairly unstrained, if they were going by the standard set of late.

"I'm sure that's true, but nonetheless the meeting itself still went well."

Keith shrugged.

"And of course that was due, in part, to the contributions of our new translator." Keith shot a sharp glance at Shiro but the other man continued.

"You did a good job finding him, even under unfavourable circumstances and with a time limit."

Keith just shrugged again before replying, "it was mostly luck anyways, and he was sufficient I suppose."

This time Shiro let out a real laugh.

"Sufficient? I could tell you were impressed." _God_ , Keith thought, _is he seriously trying to have this sort of talk with me right now._  

_"_ Impressed? Not really," Keith lied, "he was just doing the job he's being paid for."

Shiro didn’t even reply, just chuckled as Keith floored the gas pedal, as if he could leave the conversation in the dust as they sped into the night 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter is a product of my procrastination, so yeah early update! Also I went back and edited some of the previous chapters, just small grammatical stuff. But Jesus, there were quite a few, so feel free to point them out to me if you want so I can go fix them.


	5. Chapter 5

Lance was dying of boredom. 

A couple of days had come and gone, and it was now quickly closing in on the week mark. His house had never been so clean and he had meal prepped enough food to last him at least the next couple of weeks. In the past he had never had this much free time, he was either running from school to work and staying up to do homework or look after siblings and doing chores around the house.

But right now he was on a break from university and far away from the always hectic McClain household. With his check safely deposited he really didn’t have anything to occupy his time.

He had been lazing around the last couple of days watching variety shows and doing sheet masks. The paperwork had occupied his time for a while but that was done and sent off far too quickly. Pidge and Hunk were in a completely different time zone and had their own things to do. Lance couldn’t even go out because he was expecting Mr. Kogane to drop by anytime now.

And yet he was still a no show. He was laying in his living room watching the same bizarre soy sauce commercial play again for the third time while half heartedly looking for a new apartment on his laptop; waiting to get a notification for a new email. None came.

Lace rolled onto his back, making sure not to disturb the mask he had on his face, and tried to stretch out, only to have his feet bump into a wall in this living room. God he really needed a new place to stay. He tried to get as comfortable as he could, mulling over the events of the last couple of days.

It had been a roller coaster of highs and lows, and even for him this was new levels of reckless.

Lance had always been a flight risk, when he was young he'd dream of leaving Varadero to go to school in some other city. But it had only taken him a few semesters at university to get that same itch again. He had great friends and a place to call his own but the drive was still there, and it was the same one that pushed him to learn languages.

He'd read foreign newspapers and borrow books from visiting relatives, shaping his mouth around the unfamiliar words as he lay awake in bed at night. They were exotic, new, different, something that Lance wanted consume and take into himself. It had only grown when he went to university, with an endless list of language courses and a library full of books his horizons were now infinitely broadened. He consumed everything he could get his hands on, he chatted with international students in cafes and haggled with shopkeepers in their own language.

When he found the posting for an English teacher abroad he couldn’t resist. Packed his bags and left. He wasn't like Hunk, charming and with endless patience and kindness, able to so effortlessly make friends. Or like Pidge, who lived with the net as almost an extension of her body, plugged in in all sense of the word. He always felt like he was vibrating out of his skin, he was awkward, he talked too much. At least here the attention he got for it was positive.

Even if he came home to an empty apartment every night, there was something about Tokyo that made it feel alive. The city itself seemed to pulse with life and even when you walked the streets alone you felt like you were a part of something, like a gear in a clock, running perfectly in time with everyone else.

He couldn’t fuck this up, he'd come so far. When he was in university and the work piled up and he had test after assignment after test he would always grit his teeth and pull through. All he could think about were the smiling faces of his family, congratulating him on making it to university. He couldn’t go back. He would study more, revise, write and learn another language. But in truth he felt burned out. He had seven languages but never knew what to say, and it weighed his tongue down like lead.

He had taken a leap and couldn’t afford to fall. Lance wasn't an idiot, he knew something was up. The meeting last night felt all kinds of wrong. Business was shady in general and Lance wasn't sure he wanted to get mixed up in stuff like that. But without this job he had no prospects and rent was due every month no matter his personal issues. He was the one who had decided to travel halfway across the globe and it's his own responsibility to get this shit sorted.

His phone buzzed. Lance sat up, grabbing it with confusion, no one but his family and friends use this number and they should all be asleep right now.

It was a text.

 

**Number Unknown**

_I will be communicating with you through phone from now on._

Lance frowned.

**Lance**

_Is this Mr. Shirogane's assistant, Hana?_

A pause.

**Number Unknown**

_No this is Keith Kogane._

His eyes widened.

**Number Unknown**

_This was the number you provided in your documentation._

_I am letting you know that information about future meetings will be communicated through text._

**Lance**

_Okay._

_Thank you, I understand._

**Number Unknown**

_Good._

_I'm outside your apartment right now._

Lance almost dropped his phone, his fingers fumbling on the keyboard.

**Lance**

_wHat,_

_*What._

**Number Unknown**

_We're going to get you appropriate clothes, hurry up and meet me outside._

 

With shaky hands Lance set the number under Keith and promptly freaked the fuck out. He didn’t know how he was able to get his shit together in under 10 minutes but he stumbles out of his apartment dressed and semi presentable, even remembering to remove his sheet mask at the door.

The irritated look he got was the same as ever but Keith had traded in the black suit for a red leather jacket, with a matching sports car. Trying not to gape at the killer digs, Lance slid into the passenger side of the two door. The radio was on, but turned low, playing something appropriately edgy and loud.

"So where to? The mall?" Lance said buckling in, the car was compact but there was still enough leg room that he didn’t feel cramped.

Keith didn't answer, turning the music up and clenching his hands on the wheel, the leather of this gloves creaking.

"I'll tell you when we get there."

-

"There" turned out to be a nondescript store front in a back street of Shibuya. It was away from the bustling main streets, including the famous crossing, and plazas. The neighbourhood was mostly residential with some other small artisan shops mixed in. Keith parked his flashy car across the street and they stepped out.

The building was two stories tall with a glass store front with a green velvet curtain drawn tight behind it; the gold lettering against the glass shining bright in the sun. Without saying a word Keith strode forward and Lance hurried to follow. So much for explaining when they go there.

Despite looking empty from the outside when he walked through the doorway he could hear the soft strings of jazz and see that the lights were on. The inside of the shop was quite dim, all the furnishings done in a dark wood and the walls draped in plush velvet, illuminated by warm yellow lights. There were a few chairs arranged into a sitting area around a raised platform. A few large drafting tables were pushed against one wall and on the other, a seemingly endless array of fabrics, neatly stacked and arranged on shelves. There wasn't a single article of clothing in sight.

At their entrance the young man sitting at the counter stood and greeted them, bowing low.

"We have an appointment for 1pm." Keith informed him, taking off his gloves and stuffing them into the back pocket of his sinfully tight black jeans.

"I will inform Mr. Sato that you have arrived." He said before ducking into the back of the shop.

Keith choose a nice wall and leaned up against it, looking as effortlessly cool in a cropped red jacket as he did a perfectly cut suit. Lance was starting to resent him for his unaffected demeanour as well as his dickish attitude.

It was only a second later that the young man returned with someone else. The older man was a bit shorter, dressed in a collared shirt, tie, and vest; with a head full of pure white hair his eyebrows were shockingly dark. He took a pair of round wire rim glasses out of his front pocket, putting them on he smiled and bowed at Keith and Lance in turn. Lance bowed back but he was annoyed to see that Keith only acknowledged him with a nod.

"Welcome Mr. Kogane, what are you looking for today?"

"He needs some new suits," Keith motioned at Lance, "at least four, with shirts, ties and a coat for the winter as well. We'll also be getting a couple pairs of shoes."

Mr. Sato nodded along as his assistant wrote down what they needed.

"Is there a specific date you need them completed by?"

"An appropriate set needs to be ready for next week, the others can be completed at your earliest convenience."

Well at least Lance has some idea when to expect his next summons. Mr. Sato nodded before turning to Lance.

"Mr. …"

"McClain. Lance McClain, but just Lance is fine." Wow, that came out way more awkwardly than he intended.

"Mr. McClain, what was it that you had in mind?" Mr. Sato said, not unkindly.

The only suit Lance had ever worn was for his graduation; it was a hand-me-down from his older brother and even then it was still off the sale rack at some department store.

"Um, I'm not sure. You have any recommendations?"

Mr. Sato smiled, and gestured for Lance to follow him to the fabric racks. Lance saw Keith sit down at one of the seats and pull out his phone from the corner of his eye.

"It is winter right now so you should have at least one suit made of wool, which will be sufficient to keep you warm. Dark colours would be appropriate, black, charcoal or a deep navy." He pulled out a few skeins of fabric and laid them out on the table. Lance ran a hand over them and they felt soft and smooth, nothing like the itchy polyester monstrosity he had been forced to wear.

He lingered on a midnight blue, it was rich and deep, the colour as saturated as the sky at night. It was thick but slipped like fine silk between his fingers.

"This one?" Lance nodded.

"Wonderful choice, this is a wool and vicuña blend and should be very warm but also light and breathable. The colour can also be worn day or night, and be paired with either black and brown shoes." Lance nodded but felt all the information fly over his head.

They went on to pick out fabrics for three more suits. A charcoal fabric with a subtle pinstripe, and two black fabrics, one in wool and another in cotton. Lance lingered over a pale, silvery grey, it was beautiful but they were only here for four suits…

"You should get it." Lance jumped at the voice, turning he realized that at some point Keith had gotten up and made his way over. The over man was standing right behind him, looking over his shoulder at the fabric Lance was stroking.

"But you said four suits."

Keith shrugged.

"It's fine, get whatever you want."

Mr. Sato eventually convinced him to also get a linen in pale ivory. _It would look divine with your skin tone, and it'd be perfect for summer_ , Keith even nodded along, like he was agreeing. After the fabrics were chosen the real process began. Lance had never dreamed that he would ever get a custom suit made, and even if he did he wouldn’t have thought the process to be as time consuming and detail orientated as it was.

Lapel type, jacket vents, hell they even had an argument over the number of buttons hey should include. With Keith joining in so did Mr. Sato's assistant slash apprentice Daichi.

Lance was in the back getting his measurements taken with Mr. Sato and he could hear Daichi and Keith bickering.

"I must insist on a single button Mr. Kogane."

"These suits are for work, not the runway." Keith said sounding annoyed.

"But think of the _lines,_ it would be a travesty if we didn’t show off Mr. McClain's trim waist."

" _No_." Lance could imagine the glare Keith sent the other man to stop the conversation in it's tracks.

Lance let out a quiet chuckle and was surprised when Mr. Sato joined in.

"Quite the lively pair? Sorry about Daichi, he's young and enjoys experimentation. Doesn’t understand the more traditional tastes of some of our clients."

"It's really no problem, I just find it funny that they're arguing about buttons of all things."

Mr. Sato hummed as he measured the length of Lance's arm, which he stretched out obligingly . He took no notes, memorizing the measurements as he took them.

"Well the devil always exists in the details. And with a custom suit it all must come together, each aspect in balance to create the ideal garment for the customer."

Lance, feeling like he had overstepped himself, tried to back pedal a little.

"Don't get me wrong, it's just that I don’t know much about these things. My idea of formalwear is usually just whatever pair of jeans is clean at the moment."

That got a genuine laugh from Mr. Sato.

"Well everyone come from different walks of life, and it's understandable that some would see a suit like this as a superfluous commodity. But in some ways clothes are our armor, we wear them to face the world. It's my job to create a set of armor that best suits the wearer, and what will be most suitable for what they are going to face."

Their eyes met in the mirror.

"So Mr. McClain, do you think you'll be ready for it?"

Lance nodded, but even in the reflection he looked shaky. If he was being honest, he felt like he needed more than a suit to face what was waiting for him at Shirogane Inc.

"Don’t be too nervous though, you'll learn soon enough. I remember when Keith came here for his first suits, years back. He knew quite a lot less than you even did."

That got Lance's attention.

"Keith got his suits here?" He asked.

Mr. Sato nodded.

"Yes he did. I'm honestly surprised he came back. He usually just calls and orders new ones based off his old measurements. He even lets me pick the fabrics. He was quite bored last time he came after all."

"Well," Lance said, trying not to read too much into it, "he's only accompanying me for work anyways."

But Mr. Sato just smiled, "of course."

Eventually it was time to pick out shirts and accessories. Mr. Sato stayed downstairs to start working on the suits immediately; Lance learned that even a week was a short deadline to complete a full custom suit, and Lance and Keith were lead upstairs by Daichi. The curtains were open and bright sunlight filtered into the airy space. The floor was a polished dark wood, and racks of shirts hung on one side of the room, the other holding an assortment of shoes, ties and handkerchiefs.

Daichi started picking out shirts and ties, Lance even choosing a few himself as well, before he was ushered to a changing room; cleverly hidden behind one of the velvet curtains draped across the walls. Daichi paired each shirt with a tie and instructed Lance to try each on in turn. Lance was finishing buttoning up what felt like the eleventh identical white shirt as Daichi helped him with the tie. The other man grinned, smoothing it down, hands lingering on Lance's chest.

"Blue really is your colour." Before shooting a flirty wink at Lance.

Lance was shocked, flirting wasn’t uncommon but for some reason this time it felt awkward, wrong. Not that Daichi was unattractive, in fact he was quite handsome and charming. But somehow Lance felt overwhelmed and uncomfortable at the attention. He was just about to respond, maybe brush it off, before they were interrupted.

It was Keith; Lance relaxed.

He looked angry as ever but for some reason his ire seemed to be directed at Daichi this time, who shrunk under the withering look sent his way. Lance was about to ask him why he was back here before Keith stuck something right under his nose.

It was a tie.

Lance took the blue tie off and looped the other one around his neck before tying it. The silk was a deep, rich red, it looked slightly violet but glistened like wet blood in the light. Lance saw Keith looking at him in the mirror, his gaze lingering on where the knot of the tie pressed against the hollow of his throat.

"I think red suits you better."

Lance had to agree.

-

After hours of work Lance left with six new shirts with matching ties, two pairs of dress shoes as well as a promise from Mr. Sato that the navy suit would be delivered by this time next week at the latest. After everything had been packed up, wrapped in tissue paper and placed carefully in simple but stylish boxes, Lance reached for his wallet. He tried not to wince at what he imagined the price for a custom suit to be but hey, at least he'd be putting his new paycheck to use. But before he could finish fishing out his wallet Keith had already slapped down his credit card, which was promptly whisked away by Daichi.

Lance gaped but Keith just shrugged.

"I'll take care of it. It's technically a work expense anyways."

He signed his name and was halfway out the door before Lance could completely get over his shock. Lance bid a farewell to Mr. Sato and Daichi, who responded with a warm smile and awkward wave respectively. Lance didn’t have a chance to properly reject Daichi but the other seemed to have lost interest, if his sudden awkwardness was any indication. Lance tired not to be too glad that he didn’t end up having to say anything in the end.

All the boxes could barely fit in the trunk of Keith's car but somehow they managed. Before long they were once again speeding down the now dark streets. The music was blaring and Keith had his gloves on again. However now was the time Lance's stomach decided to chime in with an inhumanly loud growl, heard even over the screeching j-metal.

Keith let out a loud, surprised laugh and Lance felt his ears burn.

"Hungry much?"

"Hey, it's been a long day. It’s understandable I'd be hungry." Lance grumbled.

"Well what do you want to eat?" Keith asked.

Lance wondered if that was trick question, but either way he didn’t really have an answer off the top of his head.

"How bout we got back to that place were we had the meeting? The food was incredible." Lance only met it was a joke but Keith scoffed.

"Really? There was barely enough there to feed a kid. I'll take you to get some real food."

Lance almost did a double take, Keith, _Keith_ of all people wanting to spend extra time together? Unbelievable. But if there was anything that Lance couldn’t turn down it was a free meal.

"Oh yeah? I'll take that bet."

The sharp smile on Keith's face sent a thrill down Lance's back as the other man floored it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, kind of a long chapter but it might be awhile before I can post another one since my exams are coming up. But worry not, after exams are the holidays and hopefully I'll be able to update more. Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

Lance stared at the side of Keith's face as they tore up the late night streets of Tokyo. In general the day had gone better than Lance could've hoped for. He had honestly expected to get his head bitten off, but excluding the short, seemingly random bursts of hostility throughout the day, Keith had been calm. Mellow even. Even the silence between them now was comfortable, easy. He didn’t think that he would ever use those words to describe Keith.

They turned up and down streets, joining the flow of traffic they slowed down and Lance was able to take in the city around them. It was different, sitting in a car compared to walking out there yourself. He was less focused on not getting trampled or being swept up by the crowd, instead he felt insulated, free to observe the Tokyo night life from the fishtank of the car. They were in the heart of Shinjuku, the shopping and entertainment district was booming at night, neon signage and glittering storefronts drowning out even the stars above with their artificial glow.

Keith pulled into another side street, driving until he reached the dead end, before stopping the car. He got out and Lance followed him, apprehensive about the darken alley they were in. They seemed to be in a loading area behind one of the larger malls, not at all like a restaurant.

Lance followed closely behind Keith, wonder if the guy had ever heard of a proper parking lot, before he saw where he was being taken.

They only had to turn a corner before they reached the mouth of the alleyway, and Lance saw the glow of lanterns and open store fronts. It was bustling and a hundred different, delicious smells hung in the air. The alley ran parallel to the main street and was for pedestrians, with bars and food stalls lining both sides.

The air was thick from cigarette smoke and the telltale scent of barbecuing meat. Despite the cold weather the street was packed, young people, labourers and off work salary men sat on stools pulled right up against the open air stalls. The  sound of boisterous talk and sizzling food almost drowned out his voice. 

"Where are we?" 

Keith grinned.

"The place to get real Japanese food, Omoide Yokocho."

He wanted to ask more, but his stomach demanded he fill it with some of the delicious things he could smell in the air. Keith seemed to agree, grabbing his wrist he pulled him through the throngs of people, down the narrow street.

Each stall had menus posted, advertising their offerings and prices, along with brightly illuminated signs and lit lanterns. There seemed to be an endless variety: fried noodles worked over on an open air cooktop, skewers heavy with thick cuts of meat being turned on an open flame and piping hot bowls of ramen being slurped up by hungry patrons.

It was such a overload of sounds, sights and smells that Lace's head spun and his mouth watered.

They stopped in front of one stall and Keith went up, greeting the shop owner warmly. Lance couldn’t hear what they were saying but saw him hold up two fingers. In a second he had returned bearing two paper trays, each overflowing with yakisoba, the noodles glistening in the lantern light, with two pairs of chopsticks sticking  out haphazardly. They then stopped at another stall where Keith got two servings of takoyaki. Lance couldn’t resist, snatching one up and eating it, burning his tongue along the way.

Their final stop was a small sit down shop, really nothing more than a counter at which a few chairs where set in front of, behind which a heavy set woman was turning dozens of skewers of yakitori. Her gaze was laser focused as she worked the meat, making sure it didn’t burn on the open fire. She did spare them a look though and greeted Keith with a bright grin. Keith placed his order and they sat down, with two open beers being set in front of them.

Lance took a swing from his, Keith turning his down because he needed to drive, before tucking in. The food was incredible, the noodles were hot, tangy and spicy and the takoyaki had cooled down enough that Lance practically inhaled them. A tray of chicken skewers were set in front of them, fresh off the grill, along with a plate of fried gyoza.

Lance almost moaned when he bit into a skewer, he was in heaven.

Keith let out a laugh at the other man's reaction, it was dry but a laugh nonetheless. He grinned before starting to eat himself. Lance was ravenous and inhaled the plate of noodles and the lion's share of the gyoza and yakitori, washing it down with his and Keith's beer.

He felt warm after, the food heating him from the inside out and pleasantly tipsy from the drinks. Another opened bottle was set in front of him and he sipped it, watching Keith, who was eating at a much more sedate pace.

Lance knew that Keith had to at least be as hungry as he was but he ate carefully, though still enthusiastically. He held his chopsticks like a kid; it was surprisingly cute.

-

Keith finished eating and let out a deep exhale, feeling full and satisfied. He turned to Lance and found the other man staring at him, a dopey grin on his face. He was already done his third beer, another one being set in front of him by Oba-san. Keith shot a look at the older woman who only replied with a wink. Keith sighed, why did everyone in his life have to be like this? 

The other man accepted the drink with a grin, throwing his head back he took a deep swing. Keith watched the long column of his throat move, his adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. When he set down his glass there was a pleasant flush across his cheeks, warmly glowing through his bronzed skin. His eyes were hooded, brilliant blue shining through lowered lashes.

Keith now wished he had a beer of his own, his mouth growing dry.

"So, what's your deal." Lance's speech was clear despite his tipsy appearance.

Keith cleared his throat. 

"What do you mean?"

Lance rolled his eyes, one of his long fingers gliding across the rim of his glass, like it was a wineglass he was trying to make sing.

"That attitude of yours. So hot and cold." Lance pouted.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Keith lied. _Damn_ , seems like Lance had no trouble looking past his poker face. Lance just rolled his eyes, taking another sip before continuing.

"Never mind then I guess. But what about Shirogane? How did you get hired by the guy?"

Keith tensed, he rubbed a hand over his thigh under the table, the hard edges of the concealed blade under his pant leg settling him.

"I've known him since I was young. It was a natural transition."

Lance perked up at that. He shot Keith a calculating look, before waggling his eyebrows in a ridiculous manner.

"Oh, so you've know each other a while then? Real good friends? Or something more…?"

Keith recoiled.

"No. He's like a brother to me." Shiro had taken him in, made him part of something that gave his life meaning and purpose. If anything their relationship was even more paternal than it was fraternal. 

"Really?" Lance seemed to sober up at Keith's strong  reaction, looking abashed and awkward. 

"You just get along better than most siblings I know."

"You have any of your own? Brothers I mean." Keith asked, genuinely curious.

Lance snorted.

"I have three, and two sisters as well. And I'm not even including all the cousins and nieces and nephews."

Keith was shocked.

"Wow, that’s a large family."

"Yup, the McClain household is always busy. I love them to death but we always fight, like cats and dogs my Mama used to say."

Keith hung onto Lance's words, he'd never had a family, and he couldn’t even imagine one as large as the one Lance was describing.

"Maceo and Dalian are both older than me, and Charlie is the youngest. The twins are Veronica and Lillynn and they were born between me and Charlie. There's also Maceo's kids, Freddy and Tara. And baby Isabella, who's Dalian's."

Lance counted off with his fingers, Keith's eyes widening with each one he put up.

"There's also Mama and Papa of course, my grandparents and all my aunties and uncles." Lance let out with a final breath. He looked at Keith's face and chuckled at his dumbfounded expression.

"Wow."

Lance let out a loud laugh, teeth bright white against his tanned skin.

"Yup. It's kinda a mess. Growing up I don’t know how Mama dealt with all of us. But at least there was never a dull day, holidays were a blast too."

Lance played with the condensation dripping off his glass, eyes far away.

"On Christmas day we would all get up super early. The kids opening presents and such. We would eat breakfast and put on our Sunday best to go church. The little ones would always be bouncing in their seats, too much sugar and excitement for the morning. Maceo would be falling asleep in the pew, he would always stay up and call his girlfriend on the holidays when she was still at school. And Mama would sing along with the choir, everyone did, but her voice was definitely the most beautiful."

The sky outside was dark but in the warm light of the stall Lance's words dripped like warm honey, the soft notes of his voice lilting like a lullaby. His eyes were soft and the flush on his cheeks had all but faded. When his gaze flickered upwards, meeting Keith's, he felt the breath rush out of him.

"We should leave." Keith coughed out.

Lance blinked then nodded, breaking the quiet silence of what they've shared.

"Yeah."

Keith footed the bill despite Lance's protests, trying to ignore the very pointed looks Oba-san was shooting him. They ducked out of the stall and Lance shivered, his breath puffing out in the cold air. They made their way through the crowds, which had grown even more thick, at a sedate pace, tired from the food and the long day.

The car drive back to Lance's place was quiet. Keith shot the occasional look at the other man, who stared out of the car window as the they zipped through traffic, as if in a trance. When they got to Lance's place they both got out. 

Keith popped the trunk and handed over the boxes one by one to Lance, the stack quickly reaching to just under the other man's chin. He followed behind Lance, opening the door the his lobby for him while his arms were occupied. They stood there, a bit awkwardly, with over five grand worth of clothes packed in boxes between them.

"Well, thank you for today."

Keith didn’t know what do with his hands, tucking them awkwardly into his pocket he nodded at Lance stoically.

"No problem, I'll text you the details for the next job later." 

Lance nodded too, looking like he was about to offer his hand to Keith to shake before the teetering pile of boxes in his arms made him think otherwise. He turned and pushed the button for the elevator, the doors opened and he stepped in. He looked at Keith, shooting him a small, warm smile, before the doors shut between them.

-

Keith sat in his car out front for awhile, hands jittering on the wheel. It was late, later than he'd usually be out on his own, but he didn’t feel like sleeping. He wondered if he should hit the gym, but he was still kind of full and wasn’t really feeling a workout. He thought for a second, before turning the ignition and driving off.

The drive was a long one, out of the heart of Tokyo, and up a steep and winding path on the side of a mountain. Keith focused, pulling every turn without having to slow down. The purr of his engine like the growl of an animal slinking through the dense vegetation growing on either side of the road.

He pulled out onto an empty dirt lot and put the top down. He shut off the engine and leaned his seat all the way back. The cold air stung his cheeks, but looking up, the view was more than worth it.

The stars shone like diamonds scattered across the velvet sky, glittering, brilliant and beautiful. The bright lights of the city always washed them out but here, further out in the countryside, they shone; the milky way and Venus clearly discernable. Keith scanned the sky, hoping to catch a glimpse of Mercury, mind wandering.

He had been working for the Shirogane-gumi since he was 15, and the people who approached him usually fell in two categories. Most of the people who worked in and with the Shirogane-gumi were competent. Hardworking and dedicated, like Keith they were committed to furthering the gumi any way they could. His interactions with them were formal but amicable. Some of the older members, which have been there since before even Keith joined,  were even friendly with him.

Then there was those who were incompetent, who were clearly only trying to suck up. Knowing that, with Keith's position as Shiro's second in command, getting in his good graces would help their upwards mobility within the gumi. Loud, annoying, inept, and barely trying to hide it; they were intolerable. Usually they were pushed out or got offed someway or another, just like their previous translator. He would sometimes show up drunk, slurring his words so badly you couldn’t even tell which language he was speaking.

When Keith had met Lance he was convinced he would fall into the latter group. However in the end Lance was able to surprise him. He did his job, effectively and professionally, and despite his loud and casual nature he managed to rein it in for work. He was truly talented as well, knowing more languages than anyone Keith had ever met; flowing out of him with the ease of a native speaker.

And yet despite all of this he still felt irritated when dealing with him. Despite his formality at the meeting in every other instance he was a mess, running late and sloppily dressed. He had a big mouth and a snarky sense of self importance that ground down Keith's nerves. He was also far too casual. He didn’t treat him with the quiet reverence and respect afforded to him from his group members nor did he try to get into Keith's goodbooks.

And when he got drunk, it was far too dangerous.

Keith let out a sharp sigh. His fingers started to numb up from the cold, even under his gloves and shoved into his pockets. The night no longer felt quiet but instead eerily silent, the air was freezing and the stars above were cold and distant. He started his car, putting up the top he turned on the heater. After warming his hands with the heated air coming out of the vents, he pulled away from the lot and started the long drive back to Tokyo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick little chapter between my exams because unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to post next week (organic chem owns my ass right now). But with the holidays coming up I'll have plenty of time to catch up and maybe post more often. Also thanks for 200 kudos, you guys are the best!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally an update! I sincerely apologize for the long hiatus, but exams were hectic and in some ways the holidays were even worse. Luckily I'm now well rested and have the time and concentration to start working on this story again. I'd like to wish everyone a happy holidays and great New Year! I should be updating regularly now and this chapter is actually a little birthday gift to myself so enjoy (◠ ◡ ◠)

Lance woke up to a killer hangover for the second time in too short a time. His head was pounding and his phone going off right beside his ear certainly didn’t help things either. He groaned, turning over he grabbed it off his cluttered nightstand and squinted at the too bright screen.

With a sigh he rolled onto his back, setting the phone to speaker so he wouldn’t have to hold it to his ear, he set it on his chest. 

"Morning Pidge." 

He heard a snort from the other end.

"Hardly, it should be almost 1pm  over there."

Lance stared at the ceiling in his room, remembering the mini freak out he had last night after he had gotten back and started sobering up. It had taken him ages to calm down and get to bed and by then it was already well into the A.M.s.

"Well it's not exactly early over there right now either. Should you be staying this late past your bedtime pipsqueak?"

Pidge didn’t even dignify his question with a response; they both knew that she was the reigning champion of all nighters in their house. Lance wasn’t sure if Hunk even counted as an entry, he always seemed to schedule out his time that he went to bed promptly at 11 and still managed to hand in his assignments early.

"I was just calling to check up since you’ve been silent for the last couple of days. Don’t forget to check up or Hunk will worry and make me hack your phone again." 

Lance rolled his eyes, even through no one could see and it was nice to have someone asking after him even when he wasn’t there.

"Nothing much happening on my end," he certainly wasn’t going to give her the details of his impromptu shopping trip yesterday before he'd mulled them over himself. "How bout you?"

Lance could almost hear her shrug over the phone.

"Same. But we did go and pick up Matt at the airport so there's something."

Lance frowned, the name sounded familiar.

"Your brother Matt?" He guessed.

"Yup," she made the P pop, "he moved into your room yesterday."

Lance hummed, it was pretty lucky that he'd been able to sublet his place to Matt while he was in Japan. He felt bad that he wouldn’t be paying his share of the rent on their apartment while he was gone but he was glad they got Matt in instead of some random stranger. Some part of him was glad that he was Pidge's brother, not someone new who might end up replacing him in their little corner of Pasadena. 

"How's he liking California?" He asked politely, he'd never met the guy and can't really imagine what he'd be like. All he could come up with was a slightly larger version of Pidge and he was sure that wasn’t it.

She snorted.

"He went out and didn’t come back for the whole day and night. Hunk spotted him asleep in the university lobby the next day, completely sunburnt."

"Wow." Lance said and then blushed, holding in the groan that he almost let out when he remember last night.

"He's a mess but mostly harmless." He heard her snicker, "you guys would get along."

"Hey!"

"Anyway I'll tell Hunk you called. He already went to bed but he'll probably text you back tonight."

"Yeah no problem, tell Matt I said hi." 

Before Pidge could say anything  Lance heard another voice chime in.

"Hi!" Before it was cut off by Pidge.

"Matt! What the fuck-" and the line went dead.

Well, seems like Lance wasn’t the only one using speaker phone.

Lance laid back in his bed, the dial tone sounding, before sitting up and getting his ass out of bed.

A light breakfast, two aspirins and a tall glass of water later he was sitting down in his living room, shifting through the boxes with his new clothes.

Looking at the huge pile of shirts and ties he could still barely believe it, his new job and life finally sinking in. Lance was quick to jump into these situations, but the real aftermath of his actions doesn’t hit him until he's looking far back at them in the rear view. 

Leaning forward he pressed his face against the smooth cotton of the shirt in his hands, the cool fabric soothing on his slightly feverish skin.

Lance was embarrassed. He couldn’t believe that had happened again. Once was bad enough, but twice? Getting drunk in front of your boss and spilling your guts out to him should not become a regular occurrence under any circumstances. He made a real ass of himself in front of Keith, again. God, he hoped Keith hadn't realized he was making moon eyes at him. 

He couldn’t help it, he was drunk off it: the food, atmosphere, and the dark eyes and wry smile of the man sitting next to him. All of it had went straight to his head, along with the drinks.

The only consolation was that it's be at least a week, until the suits were done and their next assignment, so things could settle down a bit before they met again. It made Lance feel a bit better and he went back to the shirts. How should he store these things, are they machine washable? Should he dry clean them? But his thoughts were interrupted when his phone beeped.

He picked it up, thinking that it was a bit early for Hunk to be getting back to him before noticing the name. 

 

Keith

_Are you free today?_

 

Lance blinked.

 

Lance

_Yes_

Keith

_Good, a new assignment just came up. Be ready in two hours._

 

Lance went  through the five stages of grief looking over their conversation. For a second he'd thought he was what? Getting asked out? No, he was sure Keith wasn’t interested in him, not like that. Ah, he'd already gotten to acceptance. That was quick.

Shaking himself off he went to get ready. He wasn’t nearly as frenzied, the short notices seemed normal at this point, but it was nearing the two hour mark when he was at the door, pondering whether or not to leave or take his phone. 

It buzzed in his hand.

 

Keith

_I'm here._

 

Setting it down he left, locking his door behind him.

The chauffeur was back this time along with the black Maybach. Keith was already seated in the back, arms crossed with a frown on his face. Lance had dug around his closet and found a formal enough jacket to wear over his new shirt and tie and the same pants from before. He slid into his seat and shot a glance over at Keith, he was relieved to see that he wasn’t as dressed up as he was on their last assignment together. He was still in a suit but this time he had forgone the tie,  instead simply wearing the top two buttons of his shirt loose. When he shifted his arms Lance could swear he saw the edges of a tattoo peek over the edge before tearing his eyes away.

Lance cleared his throat.

"So what's the plan for today?"

Lance felt nervous but it seemed that Keith was back in business mode. 

"We're meeting with some business clients of ours today."

Lance waited a bit before probing some more.

"Um, anymore details? Things I should know?"

Keith sighed. Lance wondered if he had misstepped but he noticed the other man relax marginally, uncrossing his arms. 

"Sorry. It's short notice I know, and trust me it's not my preference either." He said, rubbing a hand over his face. He looked tired and Lance wondered how much sleep he'd gotten the night before.

"But a couple of our partners suddenly wanted to back out of a deal we've been working on. Nothing major but so late into negotiations its really throwing a wrench into our plans."

Lance nodded, the seriousness of the issue dawning on him.

"What do we need to do?" he asked.

"Whatever we can. If we can't salvage the deal we can at least let them know that the Shirogane-gumi is none too pleased with their decision." Keith said, eyes stormy. 

The rest of the car ride was quiet. The days were getting shorter and by the time they pulled up to an empty construction site night was already beginning to fall. Lance looked around, it was the complete opposite of their last assignment. Instead of opulence he was met with the entirely mundane sight of a simple dirt lot surrounded by the half built skeletons of several buildings. The only difference being the slightly creepy atmosphere lent by the long shadows cast by the setting sun.

Keith said and few quick words to the driver before getting out, Lance following after. They approached a construction trailer, a long low temporary building paneled in corrugated metal. Keith didn’t even hesitate, throwing the door open and storming in. Lance paused for a second in the doorway, blinking his eyes in the bright yellow light that spilled through, before following.

He found Keith standing in the middle of an office space, arms crossed and staring down the other men in the room. The oldest, looked to be around his mid fifties and was sitting down at a desk flanked by two younger men. Lance stood beside Keith and waited for the other shoe to drop.

"Mr. Hano, you called me to discuss your agreement with the Shirogane-gumi today?"

The older man sat back in his chair and cleared his throat before speaking.

"Yes, thank you for meeting with me today Mr. Kogane. I just wanted us to meet in person to discuss the termination of our contract."

Lance felt Keith bristle beside him.

"Termination? The agreement hasn’t even been put into place yet." He ground out.

Before Mr. Hano could continue one of the other men stepped in. He was tall and broad, dark hair slicked back and stubble cut close to his jaw. He wore all black except for his violet tie, garnished with a yellow jewelled pin.

" _Mr. Hano simply received a better offer. Regrettable, but that's just business."_ He purred in Russian.

Lance scrambled, his Russian was almost fluent but he wasn’t expecting it. He did his best to translate for Keith but the other man didn’t even seem to be listening, or care, at all.

" _Let me introduce myself,"_ the other man continued, extending his hand, _"I am Prorok, a member of the -"_

"Galra Bratva." Keith spit out. No translation needed.

Prorok smiled, his lips pulling thin over sharp white teeth.

_"Oh? So you've heard of our little group then?"_ Lance translated to Keith and the other man seemed to get more and more heated.

"I have, but I didn’t know you were in Japan." Lance glanced at the third man, dressed in an even flashier suit than Prorok, who translated the statement into Russian for Prorok. 

_"Oh well, Russia is big but it's always good to diversify; keep options open."_  

"This is Shirogane-gumi territory." The weight of those words settled over the room. But Prorok just smirked, leaning over and resting a casual hand on Mr. Hano's desk.

" _Well, I guess not anymore."_

The air the room buzzed with tension. Keith had uncrossed his arm and they hung loosely at his sides, but instead of being placating it only ratcheted up the anxiety Lance felt. 

Prorok just stood, faint smirks on his lips, whilst Mr. Hano looked tense and Prorok's translator looked smug as fuck.

Keith seemed to notice as well. 

"Something to say Ike?" Keith asked, face and voice cold. Lance looked over at the other man curiously, seems like Keith knows him.

The other man just sneered, the twist of his mouth pulling grotesquely at the scar across his lip. 

"Just that I'm glad I had the chance to see Shirogane's dog finally heel." Lance froze at the words, eyes darting to Keith but unable make out the look on his face.

Ike continued, sauntering forward, getting right up in Keith's face. 

"I knew the gumi was going downhill ages ago. When they first brought in that gaijin years back and now," Ike's eyes darted and met Lance's who flinched at the cold look sent his way, skin crawling as the other looked him up and down, "Shirogane's got another pretty little boy toy slinking around. It's disgusting, one thing to have a piece on the side but another to bring his whores to-"

 Keith's fist connected with Ike's face.

Lance could almost feel the sharp crack that sounded through the room. He froze, too shocked to move and watched in horror. Ike tried to counter but Keith dodged his clumsy punches with ease before hitting him again in the stomach. Ike wavered on his feet for a moment before slumping over, barely catching himself on one knee.

The room was silent except for the muffled curses from Ike as the tried to stop the stream of blood pouring out of his busted nose. Lance stared, feeling faint and slightly nauseous at the vivid red splats of red dripping onto the scuffed white linoleum floor.

Lance's head snapped up when Keith suddenly turned and walked out of the office without saying a single word. Lance scrambled to catch up and as he stepped out after Keith he could hear the distant sound of Prorok chuckling before the door closed between them. 

Keith walked briskly to the car and slammed the door shut, Lance barely having time to sit and close his door before it was pulling away from the construction site. They drove silently for a moment before Keith exploded.

"Fuck!" He yelled, slamming the side of his clenched fist into the passenger side window with a resounding thud. Lance flinched at the noise, his eyes darting to Keith's hand and the pale red smears of drying blood over his knuckles. Lance held his breath, the only sounds were the purr of the engine and Keith's laboured breathing.

When they got back to Lance's apartment the driver politely notified Lance while Keith continued to sit in silence. Lance got out and watched the car drive off before going upstairs. 

When he got back in he picked up his phone and saw that he had a new message.

 

Hunk

_Hey buddy how's it going? You liking the new job?_

 

Lance's back hit the front door and he slid to the ground, his hands shaking, clenched around his phone. His eyes stung and all he could hear was the pounding of his heart and his ragged breathing that filled the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaijin: a term used by japanese people to refer to non-japanese people and foreigners
> 
> Bratva: the Russian mafia

**Author's Note:**

> A guilty pleasure that I'll try to update as regularly as I can while going to school. This was super fun to write and no beta so all mistakes are my own!


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